Maitre Jacques Damaged

Around
2300hrs CET (2200hrs UTC) the starboard float broke of the Multi50 Maitre
Jacques which was lying in fourth place in the Route du Rhum-Destination
Guadeloupe. Solo skipper Loïc Féquet is safe aboard.

. He was sailing close to the coast preparing to pass the tip of Brittany. He is not in any immediate danger but Maitre Jacques cannot be manoeuvred and he is awaiting a tow to the nearest port, the tug should be in the area around 0200hrs CET.

Loïc Féquet, skipper of the Multi 50 Maitre Jacques reported: "There were 25 to 28 knots and big seas, but I was not attacking. In fact I was under double-reefed main and staysail. I did not hit anything. It broke in exactly the same place as last year *. The float is new"

Féquet has secured his boat. He is about 7 miles (13 km) from the coast and reported to be drifting northwards at two knots. The skipper is inside the boat awaiting help.

Autres actualités

Long awaited by skippers, boat and team owners, stakeholders and sponsors alike the Notice of Race for the 40th anniversary Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe was published and made available on Tuesday 24th October. The official document drawn up and published by OC Sport Pen Duick, the organisers of the historic event, formally opens the entry registration process and announces the opening dates of the 12,000 m2 race village in Saint Malo. The village will be open from Wednesday 24th October and stays open until after the start on Sunday November 4th.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston finishes third in Rhum Class in La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe Solo Transatlantic Race.
Hours
from the finish line, when he was locked in a tense final battle with
Italian course record holder for his class Andrea Mura, doing all he
could to steal second, Britain's Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 75, pronounced
that he would be simply 'ecstatic' if he were to finish third in the
Rhum Class of La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, the 3542 miles
solo race from Saint-Malo, France to Guadeloupe in the French West
Indies.